- Date
- April 3, 1982, 11:22 local (19:22 UTC)
- Place
- Napa, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N792BRBeech D55
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 3, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820403007699A
- Case key
- 71824
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he rotated the aircraft at about 90 knots during takeoff and at about 30 feet AGL the engine lost power. It started again briefly but then stopped and an emergency landing was made approximately 2000 feet from the approach end of runway 18R in wet grass. A run-up of the right engine revealed a dripping fuel leak at the right end of the fuel control shaft. The lever was loose and contained no bushing or cotter pin. Fuel pressure at 2600 RPM was 12.5 lbs with a 1 1/2 inch solid stream of fuel at the point of the leak. The left engine showed a fuel pressure of 24 lbs at 2600 RPM. An annual/100 hour inspection had been completed approximately 9 hours prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N792BR
- Reported as
- Beech D55
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TE697
- Airframe hours
- 2,704
- Engine
- Continental IO-520C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Hugh Gardner
- Registered owner
- Hugh Gardner
- Departed
- APC · Napa, CA
- Destination
- Redding, CA
- Airport
- APC · Napa County, runway 18, 5,932 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,853 total · 235 in this make and model · 1,793 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- APC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.